Ties with the Living Dead
by Kaylan
Summary: A woman finds a mummy and a strange connection is forged.


Title:Ties With The Living Dead (Parts 12/12)  
Author: Sara Dupras   
E-Mail: starlit_kit@hotmail.com  
Rating: PG  
Spoilers: general NW but especially Soulmate  
  
Disclaimers: The Night World series as a whole (with all the concepts and   
principles contained w/in them) belong to L.J. Smith. The characters of   
Thierry, Hannah, Nilsson, and Lupe belong to her (L.J. Smith) as well. Any   
other characters that you don't recognize belong to me.  
  
Summary: A mummy is found and one young woman wonders why she is so drawn to   
it.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Prologue  
  
District of Columbia  
  
Andrea Mason sat at her desk with the telephone held to her ear. As   
the other person on the line continued to talk, she rolled her eyes.   
  
Finally she was able to break into the conversation.  
  
"Look, Terry, I know what I said to her and I still don't give a   
damn! She deserved it all. Besides, it's not my fault the witch can't take   
a joke."  
  
Andrea brought the receiver away from her ear a little as Terry   
started to turn up the volume on her side of the phone. Andrea brushed an   
errant strand of brown hair out of her eyes. She didn't understand what the   
big deal was. After all, Terry didn't like Alisha anymore than she did.  
  
Sighing, Andrea replied to a question Terry had posed. "Yes, I know   
that Roger Silversteen heard about what happened at the conference....and I   
know that he's on the Board of Directors for the Journalist Appreciation   
Committee, so what?"  
  
Terry then proceeded to explain the so what. Andrea could feel her   
hot temper starting to rise. "Dammit, Terry, don't talk to me like that!   
I'm not ten years old, for God's sake. I know that there are consequences   
for my actions. I'm hanging up now."  
  
Andrea hung up on her boss's high pitched voice. There'd be hell to   
pay for that later, but for now she could have cared less. She looked at   
her square clock hanging on the wall. 6:30 He was late.  
  
Deciding that she might as well get some work done, she picked up her   
pen and reread the article she was working on. Frowning, she made a mark   
here and a mark there. Just as she was bending to put down another mark on   
the paper her office door flew open.  
  
Andrea was so surprised that her pen made a huge slashing mark across   
the entire page. *Damn!* She looked up at the intruder, ready to cause   
some serious bodily damage to whoever it turned out to be. *Oh.* She   
should have known.  
  
"Carl," she said dryly.  
  
The man in his late twenties, who was wearing a sweater and jeans   
bent down and kissed her on the cheek. When he stood again he winked at   
her. "Sorry, I'm late."  
  
She nodded but was already looking down at the page in front of her.   
"Look what you made me do!"  
  
He glanced at the paper and gave a hearty laugh. "What that? That's   
nothing more than a chicken scratch. Besides that's just a rough draft   
anyway. How's the story coming along?"  
  
Andrea pushed the paper away from her and leaned her elbows on the   
desk. Sighing, she said, "Actually, it's not. I can't seem to get anywhere   
with it. I mean, how do you tell people that they're inconsiderate blobs of   
flesh who are willing to let people starve on the streets without offending   
them?"  
  
Carl leaned back in the one chair that was in the sparse room.  
He tilted his head thoughtfully. Then he nodded in agreement. "That is a   
pretty hard trick to accomplish. But knowing you, you'll find a way."  
  
"Yeah, well, I just hope to find a way before my deadline."  
  
Carl smiled at her with his green eyes. Running a hand through his   
brown hair he said, "Well, I think I might be able to help you in that   
department."  
  
Her brown eyes crinkled with interest. "Oh, yeah? You want to share   
this wonderful secret with me?"  
  
He grinned. "How about you coming with me to Mexico?"  
***  
  
Part 1  
  
Mexico  
  
That's how it came about that Andrea Mason sat in a tent in the   
middle of the desert in Mexico. She sat at a wobbly wooden table with her   
laptop on top of it. *I should have known better.* That was true enough.   
She knew Carl well enough by now to know that this would've happened.  
  
Restlessly, she tapped at her keyboard. It would have helped,   
though, if it had been turned on. The truth was the she wasn't in much of a   
mood to work. It was hot and dry inside the shelter.  
It wasn't much better than being outside.  
  
As she continued to sit there she made up her mind. She was going   
back home to D.C. She *had* to finish this article before the deadline and   
she certainly wasn't going to be able to do that here. Standing up she went   
over to a hat rack and picked a regular old baseball cap.  
  
Having done that she took a small bottle out of her white pant's   
pocket. It was a small bottle of sunscreen with the highest SPF she could   
find. As soon as she was done smoothing the lotion into her skin she walked   
out the tent flap.  
  
Andrea's eyes blinked rapidly as she got used to the blaring   
sunlight. *Jesus, it's hot as hell out here.* Uncomfortably aware that she   
was starting to sweat she walked along.  
  
She could see all around her the other makeshift tents.  
These all belonged to the various other archeologists who were here digging   
up the mummies.  
  
She snorted. Mummies. Something for the B-rated horror movies...not   
something her current boyfriend should be involved with. It made him hard to   
be around sometimes. At times the only thing he could eat, sleep, drink,   
and think about was mummies. She couldn't remember how many times she had   
had to endure the long and pointless lecturing on the Bog Mummies.  
  
That wasn't what was important in life. No, Andrea, knew damn well   
what was important in life. Continuing her ongoing crusade to beat Alisha   
Trent at the Journalist Appreciation night awards. And at the same time   
making people aware of their fellow brothers and sisters who were in dire   
need of help. That was what was important.  
  
She couldn't wait for Carl to get over this curious phase of mummy   
hunting. She hoped it would be soon; this whole pursuit of his was getting   
a little bit tiresome.  
  
Andrea quickened her pace as she came within sight of the crew's dig   
site. It was a large area taped off. There were tarps and tools and   
measuring equipment seemingly scattered all over the place.  
*Yeah, that's how Carl would run the show.*  
  
She scanned the area and saw Carl surrounded by his fellow diggers.   
They appeared to be looking at something. She walked towards the group.   
She wondered what was so interesting.  
  
Carl heard her approaching and looked up at her, smiling. He stood   
up and grabbed her in a sweaty, dirty bear hug. "Ugh! Carl, let go of me.   
You're a mess!"  
  
Disregarding her orders he said, "You wouldn't believe it, Andrea, we   
found this mummy almost completely uncovered and just lying here in wait for   
us." Letting go of her, he grabbed her wrist and started tugging her   
forward.  
  
Andrea pulled back. Carl looked at her, curiously. "What's wrong?"   
he asked. "It's not like you haven't seen a mummy before."  
  
"No, Carl, it's not that. I think we should talk."  
  
He groaned light heartedly. "That doesn't sound good."  
  
"Look, when you asked for me to come with you to Mexico, I thought   
that it was understood by the both of us that this was to be a vacation."   
She gestured at their surroundings. "This is *not* a vacation. This is   
work."  
  
"Wrong," he said solemnly, "this is work for me. So, you see, it's   
still vacation for you."  
  
She shook her head. "Carl, vacation for me is in a hotel ordering   
room service from my air conditioned suite. It is not by any means me   
rotting away in a Mexican desert trying to preserve myself so that I can be   
the next mummy exhibit at the Smithsonian."  
  
Carl hid a smile. "Andy, don't you think you're over-reacting just a   
little bit?"  
  
"No, *Carla*, I don't." She frowned as he burst out laughing.  
"You know I hate it when you call me that. Makes me sound like a guy."  
  
He suddenly stopped laughing and looked her up and down. "Oh, I   
don't think anyone would ever mistake you for a guy, honey, no matter what I   
called you."  
  
Andrea sighed. "Look, Carl, I think I should just call up Terry and   
tell her that I'll be back in the office by tomorrow night."  
  
"Well, if you want to Andy," he saw her grimace, "Andrea, then go   
ahead. But will you at least come take a look at this mummy? It really is   
in great condition."  
  
"And here I was thinking that that was the definition of a mummy,"   
she said dryly. Although, she followed him as he walked forwards. The   
others cleared the way a bit. She gasped when she saw it.  
  
Carl was right it was well-preserved. The whole body was still   
intact. The skin was the dark tint that was typical of mummies. One eye   
was still in the socket the other had vanished. The body was that of a   
young woman with high cheekbones and a mostly disintegrated skirt. She wore   
no shirt. She looked like she was sleeping. It didn't appear that her   
death hadn't been unnatural. Andrea didn't see any obvious signs of foul   
play.  
  
Sensing that Carl was watching her, she made cooing noises of   
appreciation. Then she said, "You're right Carl...she's wonderfully   
preserved. Are any of the others like this?"  
  
She saw him shake his head. "No, I swear, Andrea, I think someone   
preserved her on purpose."  
  
She looked back down. "I wouldn't be surprised."  
***  
  
Part 2  
  
Las Vegas, same day  
  
Hannah Snow sat at a table looking at Thierry Descouedres. Absently   
she brushed back a strand of fair hair; her gray eyes showed her concern.   
"Thierry," she said reasoning, "you're not going to let him go, are you?"  
  
Thierry sighed. His dark eyes mirrored her concern perfectly. He had   
been running his hands through his white-blond hair so much today, that it   
gave him a rumpled look. "Hannah, I don't know what you expect me to do."  
  
Her voice had a slight edge to it as she answered, "I expect you to   
act like his friend."  
  
He held his hands up in appeal. "Hannah, I am." He saw her eyes   
narrow. "No really. Every year this happens to him. He drags himself back   
to Mexico to go see *her*. It's only because he misses her...don't you see   
that this helps him with his pain?"  
  
She shook her head. "This doesn't help him with his pain, Thierry,   
this just lets it fester inside of him."  
  
"Sometimes," Thierry murmured, "it's good to feel the pain. It lets   
you know you're still alive." He looked up at her. "Sometimes, Hannah,   
that's all I had too."  
  
She held back the tears that were starting to form in her eyes. "You   
have me now, Thierry."  
  
"Yes, but he doesn't have his soulmate. This is all he has of her.   
You know the story, Hannah, because I'm sure he told you."  
  
She nodded then looked up at the ceiling. "She's never been reborn   
again. She just...died and never came back. And he blames himself for her   
death." She looked down at her hands twisting together on the tabletop.   
"But, it wasn't, Thierry, there was no way he could have known."  
  
"I know that," he replied, "and you know that and intellectually he   
knows that as well. However, that won't stop his heartbreak." Thierry got   
out of his chair and started to pace. "He's only about 700 years old,   
Hannah. He will get over her eventually."  
  
Hannah snorted. Thierry glanced at her askance. She said by way of   
explanation, "Only you would consider 700 years a short time."  
  
He grinned at her. "But it's true for a vampire. Francisco, will   
just have to do this his own way."  
  
Hannah shrugged, giving in. "Oh, I suppose. It's just that I'm   
worried about him....as is everyone else. Nobody likes to see him this sad.   
Especially, when he's usually so full of laughter."  
  
Thierry stood in front of the library window watching as a young man   
of Indian ancestry made his way down the driveway. He walked with the grace   
of a predator. The sun glinted off of his long brown hair.  
  
Suddenly, he turned. He stared expressionlessly at Thierry. Then he   
gave a short wave and got into the black limo. Nilsson closed the door and   
climbed into the driver's seat.  
  
Thierry said a quick prayer to the Goddess to protect his friend   
before he turned back to Hannah.  
***  
  
Part 3  
  
Mexico, 2 days later  
  
Andrea sat on a hard wooden chair, her arms resting on a rickety   
table. Directly in front of her was Aida. She was laying in a plastic, see   
through case. *She's so perfect.*  
  
She jumped when a hand touched her shoulder. "Sorry," Carl   
apologized, taking a seat next to her. He gave her an odd look.  
  
"What?" Andrea asked.  
  
He looked away, looked back. Then he smiled, "It's nothing, really.   
I just never thought I would see the day when you would sit in a tent(a hot   
one mind you)for hours staring with fascination at a mummy."  
  
She looked away at Aida, embarrassed. "She's not just any mummy,"   
she murmured.  
  
He laughed. "I have to agree with you on that, my dear. It's not   
every day that you get to sit in a tent with a mummy that you named. Where   
did you come up with Aida anyway?"  
  
She shrugged still looking at the plastic display case in front of   
them. "It was the first thing that came to mind. I can't believe we have   
her displayed so quickly."  
  
Carl's expression turned thoughtful. "It's odd isn't it?" he asked   
jutting in his chin in Aida's direction. He saw Andrea's confusion. He   
added, "I mean how the wind had uncovered her so much.  
It was almost like she was waiting for us to discover her. It made our jobs   
a hell of a lot quicker and easier, that's for sure."  
  
Andrea shrugged. "It's just one of those things. Have any of the   
islands around us been excavated?"  
  
He nodded. "Most of them. After all, that was where the main Aztec   
culture lived."  
  
"Then,I guess it's not surprising that you've found all of those   
other mummies."  
  
Carl slid down in his chair a little. His voice was lazy as he   
answered, "It happens more often than you think, Andrea. After all in a   
dry, hot region like this any small community that might have had an   
outbreak of disease could've been easily preserved. Especially, if there   
was no one left to bury the dead except the sand being blown by the wind.   
Or they might have been part of the flourishing trade between Tenochtitlan   
and distant communities. Which would mean our dear Aida was a slave who was   
carrying the cargo. Or maybe these people fled Tenochtitlan during the time   
Cortes started his conquest.  
Hell, she might have been a priestess and they might have been slaves   
sacrificed to the Gods. Who knows...it's all part of the detective work."  
  
"How long do you think it'll take to uncover the others?"  
  
He shook his head. His voice went from dreamy to sober.   
"Awhile....a long while. Especially, since we're considering that we don't   
know how many there really are here. I mean, we can see nine others besides   
her. But who knows how many others are beneath the sand?"  
  
Andrea looked at Aida. "A priestess, huh?"  
  
Carl chuckled. "Why, Andy, I didn't know you were such a romantic."  
  
"Andrea," she corrected absentmindedly. "How old is she, Carl?"  
  
He sat up straighter in his seat. "You're really interested aren't   
you? You're not just feigning interest."  
  
She nodded and said sincerely. "No, I really want to know."  
  
"Well," he said consideringly, "I'd say she's about 700 years old.   
The Aztecs came from the north into central Mexico about 1250 A.D. They   
made several other moves after they settled in the Valley of Mexico on   
islands in Lake Texcoco. In 1325 they began to build a city on one of the   
islands: Tenochtitlan. What is now Mexico City."  
  
"You should be a professor, Carl."  
  
He laughed. "I don't think so. Could you imagine me in a stuffy   
classroom? I'd rather be out in the hazy sun, getting dust on my clothes."  
  
Andrea took in his dishevelled appearance. "You could say that   
again," she replied with faint distaste.  
  
"You're a hard one to impress, Andy."  
***  
  
Part 4  
  
Mexico, same day, 1 hour later  
  
He had been walking forever. Not that he minded, of course. He   
wasn't tired; after all, he was a vampire. It was simply the landscape   
wasn't much to look at. He'd seen it every single year since his life had   
first began. It was still home to him, though.  
  
Francisco sighed, heavily. He knew all his friends in Las Vegas were   
worried about him; especially Hannah and Thierry. He wished that they   
wouldn't worry so much. This was just something he had to do. It was a   
little bit of the something that kept him living.  
  
He knew it wasn't just the trip here that worried them all. It was   
his melancholy. Usually, he was always in good spirits. Always ready to   
crack a joke. But as the time had dragged ever closer to that time of *her*   
death. Well, it was hard to stay in a jovial mood.  
  
Thierry was the only person who really understood what he was going   
through. Maybe it had even been a little worse for Thierry because he had   
to watch Hannah die over and over again because of Maya. And Francisco only   
had to lose his soulmate once. Perhaps it wasn't fair for him to compare.  
  
He stopped suddenly. His breath hissed out. *What the hell?* Just   
over the horizon he saw something that stopped his heart. It was what he   
knew could only be an archeological dig.  
***  
  
Part 5  
  
Mexico, archeological site, 20 minutes later  
  
Andrea felt a reluctance to leave Aida. She had to, though, if she   
were ever going to finish that article. "I'll see you later," she whispered   
softly to the mummy laying down in front of her. Andrea looked around   
quickly, making sure no one else had heard her. Of course, there was no one   
else around to hear.  
  
She looked back once as she left the tent flap. Then she resolutely   
headed over to her tent. She stopped when she heard a commotion to her   
right. She looked over to see Eugene arguing heatedly with someone she had   
never seen before.  
  
Sighing, she walked over towards the two men. She asked Eugene,   
"What's going on over here?"  
  
He ran a hand through his dirty-blond hair. "I don't know, Andrea.   
This guy says he needs to speak to the main archeologist on this dig. But   
he can't give me any kind of identification that says he can be here.   
Besides which, Carl is over at the main digging site which is closed off to   
anyone who's not digging."  
  
Andrea looked at the young man in front of her. She almost wanted to   
hit Eugene upside the head...this guy didn't need any kind of paperwork to   
show his right to be here. It was etched into his face. He was obviously   
of Indian ancestry. *Sometimes us Americans can be a little too arrogant   
and not very observant.* She turned to Eugene. "It's all right," she said   
reassuringly, "I'll take care of this."  
  
Eugene looked at her doubtfully but left. Andrea turned back to the   
stranger. His dark brown eyes were looking at her intently. "Now," she   
said soothingly, "what can I do for you?"  
  
"That would depend on who you are."  
  
She tilted her head. "I'm Carl's girlfriend. So basically I'm the   
second best person around here to talk to if you need something."  
  
She watched as his hair brushed his shoulders as he nodded. "All   
right," he said with his smooth voice, "I want you to stop the   
digging...right now."  
  
It wasn't a request but a command. Andrea's eyes widened. "Excuse   
me? Did I hear that right?"  
  
"You heard me right," he agreed.  
  
Andrea looked at him. He stared right back at her. She could feel   
her heart drop into her feet. He wouldn't have said that if he didn't have   
some kind of legal claim. Her heart fell even further when she thought that   
he might have a claim on Aida too.  
  
"I don't suppose you could tell me who you are?"  
  
"Not that it matters but my name is Francisco."  
  
Andrea knew that she was on shaky ground here so she proceeded   
carefully. "Well," she said cautiously, "we can't stop the dig unless you   
have some kind of a claim."  
  
He just continued to look at her. Recklessly, she threw out   
suggestions. "What is it? Do you have a land claim? A religious claim?   
Or a family claim?"  
  
He shrugged. "If it matters...I have a personal claim."  
  
Her jaw dropped. "A personal claim?" She fought back the urge to   
laugh. "What kind of personal claim could you possibly have? What is she   
one of your many reincarnations?"  
  
The laughter died in her throat. She saw something flicker in his   
eyes. He took a step towards her. "Don't laugh at me," he said quietly,   
dangerously.  
  
"I'm sorry I--"  
  
"Hey, Andrea, what's going on?!" called Carl.  
  
Almost weak with relief she turned to see Carl walking up to them.   
By his side was Eugene. Carl stopped in front of Francisco. "Hello," he   
said sticking out his hand, "I'm Carl and I'm the boss around here."  
  
Reluctantly, Francisco took his hand and shook it. "Francisco," he   
murmured.  
  
"Carl," Andrea broke in, "he says that he wants the dig to be stopped   
and that he has a personal claim."  
  
Carl turned back to the Francisco. "What kind of personal claim?   
Family, religion, or land?"  
  
Francisco opened his mouth but Carl interrupted. "Don't say a land   
claim because I already checked on that." He thought for a second. "And   
the religious claim. So is this a family claim or what?"  
  
Francisco looked impatient. "It's a personal claim," he repeated.   
"And now you will stop the digging."  
  
By now Carl had figured out that the man in front of him had nothing   
legal to stop the site from continuing. He smiled. "Look, friend, I think   
maybe you should leave now. Unless, you have some legal papers on you then   
there's no way this site is being closed down."  
  
Francisco sneered at him. Then he looked around at the others. His   
eyes stopped on Andrea. Without another word he turned around and walked   
away. The little group watched in silence until he couldn't be seen   
anymore.  
  
Carl put an arm around Andrea's shoulders. "Well, that's the last   
we'll see of him," he said confidently. Andrea wasn't so sure.  
***  
  
Part 6  
  
Mexico, one week later  
  
Andrea stared at the letter she was holding with dumb amazement. She simply   
could not believe this was happening. She looked up at Carl's face, and she   
felt her heart drop into her stomach. The grim look on his face made her   
believe that this *was* happening.  
  
"I'm sorry, Andrea, but this seems to be very legite. Whoever the hell this   
guy is, he's got connections, and he knows how to use them."  
  
"You can't be serious!" she exclaimed, jumping up from her chair. "Carl,   
you can't just hand her over to him just because he threatens you!!!"  
  
He tilted his head watching her warily. "Why does this matter so much to   
you?"  
  
Andrea looked away from him as she said, "I had a dream...."  
  
Carl's green eyes crinkled with interest. "Oh yeah? Why so mysterious?"  
  
She shook the brown hair off her face. "I'm not being mysterious. It's   
just that I'm not sure I should tell you...you'll laugh at me."  
  
His face turned sober. "Never."  
  
Sighing, she resumed her seat. Carl looked around the sparse tent, shrugged   
and sat cross-legged in front of her. "A couple days ago I had the oddest   
dream..." she gave an anxious laugh, "actually maybe it would be more   
accurate to call it a nightmare. It was strange though....  
  
"I dreamt that I was back in Aida's time-" She saw Carl start and she   
quickly added, "No, Carl, I don't believe that I'm her reincarnation.  
Just listen to me for a moment and I'll explain." She saw his face relax   
and she went on.  
  
"Anyway, I saw Aida and a group of young people were with her. I guess   
they're supposed to be the other mummies. They were going on some kind of   
picnic--don't laugh at me, Carl!--they were rough housing and carrying food   
with them. There was one girl in particular that caught my eye....she   
couldn't have been more than a couple of years older than Aida, so I'm   
guessing she was in her early twenties.  
  
"She had long red hair with ice-blue eyes. The way she kept looking at   
Aida...," Andrea shivered, "God, if looks could kill...well, the group had   
been walking for some time when they finally found the spot they wanted. As   
they settled down to eat, the red-haired girl volunteered to do the   
unpacking.  
  
"Now throughout this entire thing I had been seeing through somebody else's   
eyes. I know because Aida kept talking to me and looking at me. But during   
this my point of view changed. Suddenly, I wasn't seeing through somebody   
else's eyes, I now had a bird's eye view of what happened next.  
  
"I saw the red-haired girl take something out of her skirt. It was a type   
of clay bottle, but it was small. I watched with foreboding as she poured   
the contents over the food....  
  
"Then just as suddenly my point of view changed again. I was seeing through   
the same person that I had used before. I watched as the little group ate   
and told stories. I listened with avid interest to the village gossip. But   
then I felt horror overwhelm me as a burning started in my stomach. The   
muscles in my body started to contract painfully. I saw that the others   
were experiencing the same thing.  
  
"I felt my heart break as Aida collapsed onto the ground and she went into   
convulsions. I tried to reach for her but someone knocked me to the ground.   
It was the red-haired girl. Her face was horribly contorted and no longer   
pretty.  
  
"I watched in horror as these fangs started to come out of her mouth.  
They were as white as they were sharp...which was *very*. She lunged at my   
throat. I tried to throw her off but I couldn't. Not with the pain burning   
through me like acid. I fought her as hard as I could as she punctured the   
skin and started to drink.  
  
"It hurt. I mean it really *hurt*. It was like she was ripping my soul out   
of my body. Then things went dark. The next thing I knew something sweet   
and wild was being poured down my throat. I tried not to drink but I   
couldn't stop my body's reflexes from swallowing so that I wouldn't drown.  
  
"I woke up. I felt so odd; it was pitch dark out but I could see perfectly.   
My friends were scattered on the ground where they had died. Then I   
turned my head and saw the red-haired girl. I lunged at her and I....."  
  
Carl cleared his throat with some difficulty. "You what?" he croaked.  
  
Andrea shrugged. "I'm not sure but I think I killed her."  
  
They stared at eachother for a moment. Then Carl started to laugh.   
"Jesus!" he whooped, "do you always have dreams like this? Whatever you're   
smoking I'd like to have some of it."  
  
She frowned. "I told you, you'd laugh."  
  
He looked at her face, and the urge to laugh left him. He shook his head   
slightly. "Andrea, you don't really believe that happened do you? I don't   
mean to be rude but it's a little too melo-dramatic."  
  
She bit her lip. "Yeah, I know. I guess I was just trying to tell you how   
attached I am to that damn mummy."  
  
He shook his head with bewilderment. "But why? I've never seen you act   
like this before. You're supposed to be working on that article of   
yours--you know how important it is--but all you do is sit for hours at a   
time staring at Aida. What is it?"  
  
"I don't know! She just feels so familiar." Her heart almost stopped. She   
couldn't believe that she just said that. She watched with dismay as Carl's   
face took on an expression of blankness.  
  
"I think I'd better get back to the excavation. I just wanted you to know   
about the letter." With that he walked out of her tent and into the   
sweltering heat of the day.  
  
Andrea looked back down at the letter in her hands. Her brown eyes narrowed   
into an expression of determination. "I don't know who you think you are,   
Francisco, but you're aren't getting away with this."  
  
Having said that she started to pack.  
* * *  
Part 7  
  
Las Vegas, same day, six hours later  
  
Andrea looked from the address on the letter to the gaudy hotel in front of   
her. She hadn't expected someone like Francisco to stay in a place like   
this. She shrugged. She wouldn't have expected someone like Francisco to   
be staying in a city like Las Vegas either, but apparently this was where he   
was. There was something about him that spoke of honor and class. Then   
again she had only know him for about five minutes so what the hell did she   
know?  
  
Brushing these thoughts aside, Andrea mounted the stairs and swept into the   
lobby. She walked up to the desk clerk and asked for Francisco.  
  
"Last name?" asked the middle aged clerk who was obviously bored.  
  
She bit her lip indecisively. Stammering slightly she replied, "Actually, I   
don't know if Francisco is his last name or first."  
  
The clerk peered at her nearsightedly. Sighing, he crossed his arms over   
his chest. "Look, lady, I don't know what kind of game you're playing   
but--"  
  
Her temper got the better of her. "Playing?! I'm not playing anything.   
Surely there aren't that many people named Francisco who are staying in this   
hotel! So just tell me--"  
  
"I'm not telling you anything unless--"  
  
"Excuse me?" Andrea and the clerk were startled by the interruption and   
looked at the young man who had made it. He had reddish-brown hair with   
violet colored eyes. Andrea liked him instantly. He seemed friendly and   
polite.  
  
"I couldn't help overhearing...are you looking for Francisco?"  
  
Andrea bit down on her lip with exasperation. If he had been listening to   
the conversation then surely he must know that! Controlling her tongue with   
difficulty she replied, "Yes, I am. Do you know him?"  
  
He gave a vague smile at the desk clerk and took her arm. As he slowly led   
her outside the hotel he said, "I'm a friend of his, yes. My name is   
Brandon. Francisco is at a friend's house right now."  
  
Andrea felt her spirits drop. Damn! She had wanted to talk to him before   
she had lost her nerve. And before all the sharp remarks she had been   
thinking of faded from her mind. She stopped walking as Brandon dropped her   
arm and shoved his hands into his pockets.  
  
He looked off into the distance for some time. When he looked back he   
asked, "I don't suppose you could tell me who you are and why you're looking   
for him?"  
  
Andrea looked at him sharply. He wasn't any less polite than he had been   
but now he seemed a lot more watchful. She shrugged. She didn't have   
anything to hide. "My name is Andrea Mason. I'm here to talk to him about   
the archeological site."  
  
His breath whooshed out. "I think you should get back on your plane and   
leave."  
  
She stiffened. He hadn't said it cruelly but it still hurt. "No, not until   
I talk to him."  
  
His violet eyes captured her brown ones. "Andrea-may I call you Andrea?"  
  
She shrugged and nodded. It was her name after all.  
  
He nodded absently. "Andrea, I don't mean to be rude but I think you'd be   
better off going back to Mexico. Francisco isn't going to change his mind   
about this. You'd be wasting your time and his. Not to mention making him   
remember painful things."  
  
Andrea had been following him until this last point. "Painful things?"  
  
Brandon remained silent. When she knew that he wasn't going to explain this   
she said, "Look, Brandon, *I* don't mean to be rude, but I'm not leaving   
until I talk to him. Now whether you help me find him now, really doesn't   
matter. If that stupid clerk won't help then I'll just wait for Francisco   
to show up. He can't stay away forever."  
  
He watched her with an odd look on his face. Unexpectedly, he chuckled.   
She watched him curiously. As far as she knew she hadn't said anything   
funny. He saw the look on her face and said, "He was right about you."  
  
"Who was right about what?"  
  
Grinning, he answered, "Francisco saying that you were going to be trouble.   
He has no idea." Then he started walking away. She stared after him. He   
turned back. "Well," he asked, "are you coming?"  
* * *  
Part 8  
  
Las Vegas, Thierry's residence, 15 minutes later  
  
Francisco sat in the library, brooding. He looked up with a scowl on his   
face when Hannah entered the room. "Am I interrupting anything?"  
she asked dryly.  
  
He looked down at the table in front of him. Laying there was an open book,   
but it was pretty obvious to the both of them that he hadn't been reading   
it. Sheepishly he smiled and gestured her to a chair.  
  
"So what are you doing in here?" she asked bluntly.  
  
He shrugged. "What does it look like?"  
  
Her gray eyes narrowed as they swept the room. "Honestly? It looks like   
you're sitting in here doing nothing but moping when you could be doing   
something a little more worthwhile."  
  
He grinned. "You're always so candid, Lady Hannah."  
  
Her cold, tight smile thawed slightly. "It's good to see that smile of   
yours again. Some of us thought you'd permanently banished it."  
  
His smile faded. "I haven't been in a jovial mood lately. I have to admit   
this whole matter still worries me."  
  
She reached across the table and took his hand. "Don't. Thierry has taken   
care of the matter. You'll only put yourself in a worse mood if you keep   
this up."  
  
Francisco had opened his mouth to reply when the doorbell rang.  
* * *  
  
Part 9  
  
Las Vegas, Thierry's front door, same moment  
  
Andrea watched with a strange feeling of dread as Brandon's arm dropped from   
ringing the doorbell. She shouldn't have come. What had she been thinking   
when she had ventured into this city with this half baked idea of hers? But   
she knew what she had been thinking about. Aida.  
  
The door opened. A young man with dark hair and sunglasses stood in the   
doorway looking at Andrea appraisingly. He turned towards Brandon  
Apparently, he was waiting for an explanation.  
  
Brandon said, "Nilsson, this is Andrea Mason. She's hear to talk to   
Francisco about the archeological dig."  
  
Andrea watched with a detached amusement as Nilsson regarded her with   
newfound interest. So, apparently Brandon wasn't the only one who knew   
about this situation. It made her wonder how many other people knew about   
this.  
  
Silently, he stepped back. Brandon placed a hand on Andrea's back and   
gently pushed her inside. As she stepped over the threshold she looked   
around. The only real impression she could grasp was that the place was big   
and expensive. She was being lead down a hall. Nilsson was leading and   
Brandon was behind her.  
  
Nilsson hesitantly knocked on the door. He opened it and stepped to the   
side. Andrea watched with growing unease as Nilsson and Brandon exchanged a   
glance. It seemed that Brandon was the one who was going to have to risk   
his hide and introduce her.  
  
Brandon preceded her into the room. As soon as she had stepped inside the   
door was closed behind her. She started slightly when she saw Francisco   
sitting in a chair with a book in front of him. Across from his was a girl   
with fair hair and kind eyes.  
  
Unconsciously, Andrea stepped closer to Brandon. She now felt very   
vulnerable. She hadn't expected to have an audience when she saw Francisco   
again. It certainly put a damper on the epithets she had been going to call   
him.  
  
Francisco looked quite shocked to see her again. She couldn't help feeling   
a small triumph in that fact. The girl opposite him had recovered her   
surprise and stood up. She approached both of the newcomers.  
  
Brandon tilted his head slightly on the side that Andrea was on. "Lady   
Hannah, this is Andrea Mason. She has come to talk to Francisco about the   
situation in Mexico."  
  
Andrea's eyes widened slightly. Lady Hannah? That was odd....the girl   
didn't look foreign to her. Hannah looked at her. "You may call me   
Hannah," she said quietly.  
  
Andrea ducked her head as she blushed. One of these days she was going to   
have to learn to control her facial expressions. They were always giving   
her away and getting her in trouble.  
  
She looked up as Francisco stood up. She swallowed apprehensively. He   
didn't look angry but that didn't fool her. Behind his cold mask he was   
seething. Minute by minute she was wishing that she'd listened to Brandon's   
advice and just left the matter alone. Mentally she shrugged. Too late   
now.  
  
Hannah looked from Francisco to Andrea and back again. Finally she turned   
to Brandon. "Perhaps we should leave these two alone for awhile so they can   
talk," she said softly.  
  
Brandon nodded. He followed Hannah to the door but turned around when   
Hannah had walked out the door. To Francisco he said, "I tried to get her   
to leave but she was too stubborn." To Andrea he said, "I'll be right   
outside if you need me," then he looked back at Francisco, "not that I'm   
expecting you will." Then he closed the door behind him.  
  
Andrea looked at Francisco. He stared right back. Finally, he seemed to   
shake himself out of his daze. He gestured her to a chair as he sat down in   
his original seat. "So what the hell are you doing here?"  
The words could have been more polite but the tone was conversational.  
  
She watched him with disbelief then pulled the envelope that held the letter   
out of her pocket. Unfolding it she waved it around in the air. "I'm here   
because of this. What the hell is this?"  
  
He watched her with disinterest. "I would have thought that the letter was   
very clear. You either give me the mummy that you have on display or   
otherwise I'll have the entire excavation put to a stop. There is that   
better? More coherent and clear?"  
  
Andrea thought about hitting him. She didn't consider it too seriously   
though. She thought she knew how to get rid of that damn smug tone of his.   
"Mmhm. And how, pray tell, do you know that we've already had a mummy   
excavated?"  
  
He gave a predatory smile. "I checked before I left."  
  
She gritted her teeth and counted to ten. She had no wish to incur his   
wrath. Finally, feeling calmer she said, "You said you had a personal   
claim. Why do you want just this one mummy? Why not all of them?"  
  
He shrugged. "The others were a compromise that I thought Carl," Andrea   
winced, he said the name like it was a swear, "would agree with."  
  
She knew quite well that this wasn't getting her anywhere. By now she knew   
she could have saved her time and her breath. This had been a waste.   
"There's no way I can convince you to leave the mummy with us is there?"   
She watched with a sad heart as he shook his head. But she felt something   
harden inside of her. She wasn't going to give up without a fight.  
  
She shrugged and stood up. "Fine. I guess I'll be seeing you in court."   
She started to walk away when she felt a disturbance in the air around her.   
She turned around and was surprised to see Francisco a couple inches behind   
her.  
  
Fire seemed to shoot from his eyes. "Why can't you just leave this alone?   
Why the hell is this so important to you?"  
  
"Honestly, I don't know why. It just is. You said in your letter that you   
would drag in some favors not only from the government of Mexico but also   
from other archeologists. Perhaps even the judge who gets this case. Fine,   
you go ahead and do that. Just because Carl knows that the names you   
mentioned are legite and highly respected people doesn't scare me one bit.   
If you want her, then you're going to have to do it the hard way."  
  
She was so angry that her vision was blurred with tears. As she turned away   
from him she tripped. Francisco instinctively grabbed her arm to keep her   
from falling on her face. He jerked and let go. Andrea continued stumbling   
to the door and slammed it behind her.  
  
She hadn't looked back at Francisco when she had exited the room. If she   
had she would have seen him passed out on the floor.  
* * *  
  
Part 10  
  
District of Columbia, 3 days later  
  
Andrea sat in her office looking down at her finished article gloomily. She   
looked up as Terry, her boss, walked into the room. Her short   
strawberry-blonde hair bounced jauntily as she sauntered in and her blue   
eyes were positively shining.  
  
"Well, well, well," she said happily, "how's my star journalist doing?" She   
didn't wait for Andrea to answer. "I just knew that you were going to beat   
Alisha at the awards ceremony yesterday night. Although, you cut it pretty   
close. You almost didn't make the deadline to have that article published   
and therefore have it in consideration for the committee."  
  
Andrea nodded absently as Terry babbled on. "My God, did you see Alisha's   
face?! What a riot...she actually thought she was better than you. Can you   
believe how conceited some people are?"  
  
Andrea mumbled something inconsequential. Terry didn't seem to notice. "I   
still can't believe Roger Silversteen didn't even mention what happened   
between you and Alisha at the press conference a couple weeks ago." Terry   
finally stopped talking. She watched Andrea for a moment. Testing her out   
she said, "Roger is truly a tactful person. Some of the things you called   
Alisha would have made my ears bleed."  
  
Terry sighed when Andrea didn't answer. "Okay, Andrea, what's going on?   
You haven't heard a word I've said."  
  
Andrea gave an answering sigh. She leaned back in her chair. "I'm just   
moping I guess. Carl called me a couple of hours ago to say that Aida had   
been picked up by a couple of people Francisco sent. He thought I should   
know."  
  
Terry watched her thoughtfully. "So let me guess, you two aren't going out   
anymore?"  
  
Andrea shook her head. "After the fight we had when I got back from Las   
Vegas...I don't think so. I said he was a coward, among other things, for   
letting some guy bully him around like that. Oh well, we're still on   
talking terms. Besides, I don't think we were really ever suited to   
eachother. After three months and he still called me Andy."  
  
Terry said nothing for a moment. Finally she stood up. "I'm giving you the   
day off kiddo. Go home and rest for awhile; you look bushed."  
  
Andrea watched her leave. After gathering her things, she walked home. She   
took out her keys and opened her apartment door. She tripped into the room   
and closed the door after her. She walked into her room; then flopped onto   
the bed.  
  
She jumped up when a shadow fell across the bed. She yelled when she saw a   
young woman with long red hair and ice blue eyes. Alisha. "What are you   
doing in here?" Andrea demanded.  
  
The blue eyes flashed. "I am so sick and tired of losing to you!" Alisha   
said in a strangled voice. "You think you're so much better than me....you   
always do whatever you can to embarrass me in front of our peers. Not   
anymore, Andrea, I'm taking care of you once and for all." Andrea gasped   
when she saw Alisha lift the knife.  
  
"Get away from her, Juanita." Francisco stepped into the room. He looked   
slightly sick to Andrea's eyes.  
  
Alisha stepped away from the bed and her eyes widened as she looked at   
Francisco. Andrea had the distinct feeling of deja vu. This had happened   
before. Well, maybe it hadn't been this exact situation but she felt like   
the three of them had been in this position before. One where Alisha was a   
murderer and Andrea was the intended victim.  
  
Francisco's eyes swept over Andrea's body. Satisfied that she wasn't hurt   
he turned his attention back to Alisha. Andrea saw confusion on his face.   
"How," he asked, "is it possible that you're still alive. I killed you.   
And everybody knows that vampires can't come back."  
  
Alisha laughed. "Well, it might have helped that I was half witch, half   
vampire. Witches know all kinds of spells to help keep themselves immortal.   
That's especially true of Maya's direct descendants."  
  
Something struck Andrea and she jumped off the bed and onto the floor   
opposite from the side that Alisha was on. "Juanita," she murmured.  
"My God!" she exclaimed as goosebumps covered her arms. "It was you!  
You were the girl with the long red hair and the blue eyes in my dream. I   
should have known...you still look the same. You killed them....all of   
them."  
  
Juanita laughed again. Looking from Andrea to Francisco she said, "You mean   
I killed the both of you. Don't you remember who you were, *Andrea*? Even   
then you thought you were better than me. You even took Francisco away from   
me....you knew I wanted him!"  
  
Shock waves ran through Andrea's body. Of course, that would explain her   
attraction to Aida's mummy. It used to be her! She shook her head. "I   
didn't know, Al-Juanita. I loved him...that's why we were engaged. Not   
because I wanted to hurt you."  
  
Juanita shrugged. "It no longer matters....I'm still going to kill you."  
  
"Not with me here," Francisco said coldly. "You deserve to die twice over   
for what you did back in the past...but I'll let this go if you leave now."  
  
Juanita laughed again. A sound that was starting to grate on Andrea's   
nerves. "Ah, but you always were too sentimental, Francisco, you even   
preserved your Aida so that she could always "live" on. What garbage."   
Just as soon as she said the last word did she throw herself at Francisco.  
  
Andrea saw that she had a wooden stake in her hands. She now knew what the   
meaning of her dream was when she had been bitten by Juanita and had a wild,   
sweet drink poured down her throat. She had been seeing through Francisco's   
point of view. And that would mean that Francisco was now a vampire. And   
that he needed her help.  
  
Desperately, Andrea looked around for a piece of wood. All she saw was her   
wooden letter opener. She grabbed it and jumped into the fray. Juanita   
somehow had gotten on top of Francisco. He was holding her wrists so that   
she couldn't plunge the stake into his heart. Without stopping to think   
Andrea plunged the letter opener into Juanita. However, Andrea hadn't been   
aiming and it went deep into the other woman's shoulder.  
  
Francisco stood up and took out a cell phone from his pocket. "Let me talk   
to Thierry," he said as soon as he was done dialing.  
* * *  
  
Epilogue  
  
District of Columbia, Andrea's apartment, later that night  
  
Andrea sighed with contentment as she leaned into Francisco's embrace. "I   
can't believe it," she murmured into his shoulder.  
  
He smiled into her hair and brushed her temple with his lips. "Believe it."  
  
She pushed away from him slightly so she could look into his face. "But it   
seems so incredible...old souls, witches, vampires, werewolves," she smiled   
as she remembered the girl named Lupe, "Circle Daybreak, the Night World   
Council...."  
  
"It can be overwhelming," he agreed. He shifted his weight so he could rest   
more comfortably on the couch. He tightened his hold on her. "You know,"   
he said thoughtfully, "I never thought I would ever see you again."  
  
"Now I can understand why you wanted Aida so badly. What have you done with   
her?"  
  
He smiled. "I had her buried."  
  
Andrea looked at him. "After all that trouble?"  
  
"I thought it was time she had a rest....I won't be needing her anymore.   
Not with you here."  
  
She chuckled. "Just don't let Carl find out. He'd have a fit. She was so   
well preserved..." Her eyes narrowed. "It was you! You were the one who   
took care of her body. But you didn't bother with the others."  
  
"It was hard enough getting her body preserved. Besides I've seen all the   
others; reincarnated, of course." He let the silence go on for a couple of   
minutes. He knew she had it when she started to laugh.  
  
"Brandon....he was the boy with the blonde hair and green eyes."  
  
He nodded. "When he grabbed your arm, he recognized you." He felt her   
start. "No, he didn't know who you were. Just that he had known you   
before. If he had known, he would have told me right away. But that's why   
he brought you to Thierry's house....he felt he could trust you."  
  
Andrea looked at Francisco curiously. "What exactly happened after I left   
that day?"  
  
"Remember when you were storming out of the house?" She nodded. "Well,   
when I grabbed your arm when you tripped...I felt a connection to you...and   
I saw a pink fog...classic symptoms of the soulmate principle. Then I   
basically passed out onto the floor. Scared the hell out of Hannah. From   
what I hear, Lupe and Nilsson had a hell of a time keeping her from trying   
to kill you. She thought it was something you had done....in a way she was   
kind of right. Well, anyway for a couple of days I had people gather some   
information on you..."  
  
"What for?"  
  
"Well, I needed to know something about you. I didn't think it would be a   
great plan to just walk up to you and say, "Hi, I'm your soulmate. Wanna   
kiss?"  
  
Andrea laughed and punched him in the shoulder. "No," she admitted, "that   
wouldn't have been a very good technique."  
  
"Well, from a couple these people I found out about the rivalry between you   
and Juan-Alisha. That jump started me out here. From things I've heard   
about and experienced I know that a lot of times the past repeats itself."  
  
They were silent a moment. "What will happen to her?" Andrea asked finally.  
  
She felt Francisco shrug. "There are a couple of Circles within Daybreak   
who handle stuff like this. They take in mentally unbalanced people and try   
to treat them. She's dangerous, no doubt about that. She was an agent for   
the Night World Council back then as she is for them right now. If she gets   
better then she might work for us but I doubt it. More than likely Thierry   
will use her for leverage if a situation comes up. From what I was told   
today she's a very important person."  
  
Andrea shivered. "I'm just glad you got here in time."  
  
He hugged her closer. "Don't worry. My timing is always impeccable."  
  
Andrea couldn't help laughing. "You're a very conceited fellow."  
  
He shifted her in his arms and kissed her. After a breathless moment Andrea   
said, "I take it back....you're timing is impeccable."  
  
He laughed. They stayed in eachother's arms till sleep overtook them.  
Their dreams were sweet; an omen of their bright future together.  
  
The End.  
  
(c) Sara Dupras (starlit_kit@hotmail.com)  



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